DAVID OGBA ONUOHA ( BOURDEX). :When We are ready For A Change

By Anya C Anya

One obvious fact is that Nigerians are craving for a change: a change from from everything that have spell maladministration in the country to a more effective and efficient representation. A change from servicing same old incapacitated political office holders to a new breed of capable hands.

Politics should be 100% representative adventure that should focus entirely on the citizens, viz as viz the target should be on making the electorate much more better with each passing administration but the reverse has always been the case in Nigeria  and Abia State in particular. Because each passing administration leave the state in a worst state than what the predecessor did.

We are yet to have Capable hands Mar leadership position in Abia State which is why I say we are not yet ready for a change . We might have been craving for a change but we are not yet ready to enforce the necessary machinery that will enthrone change in the country in general and Abia State in particular

With particular emphasis on those we are selecting as representative across board , I want to submit that we could have done done better and would have been better if only men like Dr. David Ogba Onuoha had gotten the privelege to represent his people in the many political offices he had seek election into .but because we are not yet ready to enforce the change we crave after for . The reflection is seen virtually in everything called  dividends of democracy being delivered to us by our representative across board

Dr. David Ogba Onuoha aka Boudex MFR,OON. " UGOENA 1 OF ABIRIBA KINGDOM" is the man to consider whenever we are ready to enthrone the change we crave for . Born  29th May, 1952 into the family of Chief and madam Onuoha Ogba of Ndi Ekom Compound, Binyom, Ameke, Abiriba. At birth he was named "Ukaefi Njoku" after his grandfather in line with Abiriba customs, and called "Ogba".

Boudex as a child spent his early childhood in Abiriba. Where Irrespective of the stigma associated with Hawking materials Dr. David Ogba Onuoha was Hawking footwares for his parents to earn the family sustainable income and still had time  to engage in trapping rodents and grass cutter , hunting birds, fishing among others. Through his father who was a great disciplinarian . Boudex learnt  obedience the hard way . And was accustomed to discipline and hardwork which made it easier for him to blend when the opportunity came for him to serve Chief Lekwauwa Mang Lekwauwa ( UNISALES) as a cashier in his company.

Is it not intriguing to hear that Dr. David Ogba Onuoha was not born with a silver spoon . ? And that is why I will say that  When we are ready to enforce a change in Abia State I believe we will consider a man without academic controversy and certificate forgery cases often associated with everyday politics in Nigeria because Dr.   David Ogba Onuoha aka Bourdex is a notorious and a devout lover of books who love spending much of his life on going to the library to read at Abiriba as a young man.He attended Central School Abiriba between 1957---1963 , Enuda High School Abiriba between 1964---1967 , He holds a BSC (HONS) in Government and Public Administration between 1992---1997 , Doctor of Business Administration ( Honoris Causa) Abia State University, Uturu. He also has undertaking courses and short term programs in telecommunication at Harvard Business School, Massachusetts U.SA.

"His service to his people and humanity started early in life when,during the  Nigeria/Biafra war, the young David was in the Red Cross, helping to distribute relief materials such as egg yolk, salted fish, stock fish, and Corn meal which was known as Garri Garbon to his people, thereby saving many lives as many would have died because of starvation and hunger."

Iam telling you about a man with vision and good eyes for investments ." Do not depise the days of little beginning " was the motivation behind Chief Dr. David Ogba Onuoha who out of nothing was able to build one of the plastic manufacturing industries in the 1980s named BOURDEX INTERNATIONAL PLASTIC LTD in Aba .He went and founded EKEOHA COMMUNITY BANK LIMITED which later became EXPRESS MICRO FINANCE BANK LIMITED. He also established EXPRESS MONEY LINK (BDC) LIMITED and so many trading firms under the BOURDEX GROUP LIMITED.

It will interest you to know that over 20 years ago " Bourdex became the First man in  the South Eastern part of Nigeria to obtain a telecommunications license to open and operate a telecommunications company known as BOURDEX TELECOMS" which competitively operated alongside Mtel and Nitel . The first telephone call on his network was made precisely on July 22, 1998. Bourdex telecoms was a strong competitor to NITEL for many years."

"It is on record that Chief David Ogba Onuoha Bourdex made it possible for the first phone to ring as far away as Mbaise in Imo State since the war ended and many communities in South East and South South Nigeria.His love for his people made him to cite most of his Investments in the South-Eastern part of Nigeria, particularly, Aba,the Enyimba city,denying himself and his company of a more lucrative profits if he had stationed those investments like many other businessmen from the South East  in Lagos where the population is higher.All these investments employed hundreds of people from all works of lives, towns and villages,"

 Although BOURDEX TELECOMS was put up for acquisition by VISAFONE, yet hundreds of those workers under Bourdex were absorbed into the new company and many are still working and receiving salaries till date, Dr. David Ogba Onuoha is a philanthropist of high esteem who has devoted his wealth investing heavily in human resources and infrastructure of the Abiriba community as well as other communities.

As a result of his numerous contribution to making life better in Nigeria , He holds various awards and titles such as Member of the Federal Republic (MFR), Order Of The Niger ( OON) both of which are national awards given in recognition of his contributions to the development of Nigeria. he holds other chieftaincy title such as the " UGOENA 1 of Abiriba", the "Agbawo Dike izu of Ngwaland",and the "AGU NA ECHE MBA" of Ohafia just to mention but a few.

If politics is really about capacity in service delivery then we have in Boudex a politician who joined politics to take his wealth of experience and kind-hearted service more to the people because of the bad governance in Nigeria and Abia State in particular. He had contested elective Position under the umbrella of the  ALL PROGRESSIVE GRAND ALLIANCE (A.P.G.A), a strong pillar and B. O. T  member of the party.  but after failing severally to secure the position under the APGA platform . Earlier this year  He moved over the All Progressive Congress APC.

If we are ready to enforce the change we crave for then Boudex is the man Abia North need at the SENATE RED CHAMBERS to bring his wealth of experience, connections, contacts to bear in service to his people with sound representation.a man who is not into politics simply because of what he stands to gain but rather to change the status quo.

" David Ogba Onuoha Bourdex is a trailblazer who remains an " ENIGMA " to many. Meaning different things to different people depending on the area one is coming from or how one sees Bourdex. A man with a vision coated with good taste whose contributions towards mankind through his investments and philanthropy cannot go unnoticed even after he is gone, because, HISTORY MUST BE TOLD so long as records are being taken.If making name and money rather than giving service and succor to the people is the major reason people join politics, I make bold to say that David Ogba Onuoha Bourdex will go into his inner bedroom to have a deep sleep with loud snoring, but since there are still things to be done and corrected in the political and other aspect of our peoples' lives, we need people like him in politics if our zone must move forward."

Life will present us at intervals opportunity to rewrite history but the choice is ours to do . Life will present us opportunity to change the narractive and take responsive decision that will affect Positively the future of children . The choice is ours to do what is right and may the Lord help us .